CAM Catapult-Armed-Merchant-Ships.

MAC Merchant Aircraft Carrier Ships.

Winston Churchill the Second World War Vol 5.

“Vigilance could never be relaxed. Many gallant actions and incredible feats of endurance are recorded, but the deeds of those who perished will never be known.

Our merchant seamen displayed their highest qualities, and the brotherhood of the sea was never more strikingly shown than in their determination to defeat the U-boat.

1941. The geography of the Atlantic, North Sea, Mediterranean, the Indian, Pacific Oceans and the few surface naval clashes which did occur were chance encounters, the threat posed to warships by mines, submarines, scouting aircraft, made naval commanders wary of sending out their fleets to battle, unless the enemy ships were approaching and the threat of invasion was imminent.

Kriegsmarine (German Navy) the central powers of the Axis Forces now turned to U-Boat attacks upon Allied Merchant Shipping.

1941/42 Britain and Japan in particular as island nations were dependent wholly upon the importation of raw and crude materials for military and domestic manufacture to wage war and self preservation.

The German U-boat campaign Atlantic and Indian oceans was devastating to allied shipping 1939/40/41/42
Convoy e.g.
(1) Number of merchant ships sailing in company under escort
(2) Protection of merchant vessels in time of war

The Japanese long range submarine with advanced torpedo technology, and Japan’s course of action on Australian and allied shipping in the Indian and Pacific Ocean was disastrous in 1942/43 directly after Pearl Harbour, due to the lack of naval protection in Australia’s ocean surrounds. The Pacific Ocean (Southern Ocean, Tasman Sea, Coral Sea, Arafura. and Timor Seas) and Indian Ocean. Also the German Monsun Group of Submarines operating out of Penang and the Japanese Island Bases.

A navies protection of its Merchant Marine centred on the development of the convoy system, e.g. anti submarine techniques, escort carriers (CAM and MAC ships) as protection against hunter killer U-boat groups (wolf packs) perfected by the Kriegsmarine (German)

The MAC ship was an entirely British concept, an ordinary merchant navy ship or large oil tanker was fitted with a flying deck for naval aircraft, while still preserving its mercantile status the carriage of cargo, manned by merchant seamen and flying the British Red Ensign or the National allied flag in the case of Dutch and American ships. They helped defend the convoy in which they sailed, there were nineteen of these ships two flying the Dutch flag.

Together with the catapult aircraft merchant ships (CAMS) which preceded the (MACS) with a different technique now mark a new departure in naval warfare.

CAM Ships
In spite of convoy protection, merchant ship sinking’s continued at an alarming rate. In March, 1941, some merchant ships were fitted with a launching ramp on which a Hurricane (Hurricat) fighter could be launched to engage the enemy long range Condor bombers. They were manned by volunteer pilots, and launched from modified Camships.

Sea Hurricane P3114 of 800 Squadron in 1942. During WW2 the Fleet Air Arm took on charge 440 sea Hurricanes, 60 of which were built new as Sea Hurricanes (CAM Ships).
The big disadvantage with Hurricats was they could not land on their mother ship but had to ditch in the sea nearby. The pilot rescued by the rescue convoy ship. 35 Camships were in service at this time, twelve were lost to enemy action sailing in convoy. When Escort Carriers came into action the Camships were cast aside.

MAC Ships.
Six Empire Mac Alpine class bulk carrier merchant aircraft carriers.
Tonnage and Equipment
Displacement 12,000tons fully loaded
Armament 1, 4 inch - 2, 40mm - 4, 20mm
Merchant Navy crew 107
Aircraft 4
Nine Shell Class Tankers merchant aircraft carriers.
Tonnage and Equipment.
Displacement 8,000tons BRT
Guns 1, 4 inch a few smaller
Merchant Navy Crew 105

Concept/Programme
Merchant ships (bulk grain carriers, and Shell oil tankers) built with flight decks to serve as bare minimum aircraft carriers as an emergency measure, pending the availability of the US built escort carriers. These ships operated with civilian Merchant Navy crews under merchant colours, and carried their regular cargoes while serving as aircraft carriers. Their planes were primarily meant to attack long range reconnaissance aircraft to prevent tracking of convoys.

Design
Flight deck fitted above the main deck, small island, no hangar, catapult or other aircraft support facilities. These ships were built in this configuration, as ships of war, were not converted, and were manned by merchant seamen many from the International seamen’s pool comprising many Australians. They returned to merchant service immediately following WW2.

Merchant Navy Landing Ships Winston Churchill WW2
Churchill /Roosevelt Despatches

(1) As to the long term policy, all our experience goes to show that more heavily armed and armoured Tanks are required for modern battle.
(2) I am interested in your suggestion that men for our Tank Corp should be trained in the United States.
Plans should be made for landing armies of liberation with great numbers of tanks, but also vessels capable of carrying them and landing them onto beaches. It ought not to be difficult for you to make the necessary adoption in some of the vast numbers of merchant vessels capable of carrying them and landing direct onto the beaches.

(a) Framing an agreed estimate as to our joint requirements of the primary weapons of war e.g. aircraft, tanks, ships, etc.

(b) Therefore considering how these requirements are to be met by our joint production

The despatches between Churchill and Roosevelt considering British /US war plans were not only the fighting of 1942/43 but also required the security of bases and the planning of large scale forces needed for eventual victory.

Both leaders at this juncture in time realised the only trained and skilled personnel available to man the merchant ships (Landing Ships Tanks (LST) and to carry out this long term wartime policy was the trained Officers and men necessary, and could only be recruited and drawn from the ranks of US and British Merchant Mariners (Merchant Navy). As evidence now shows statistically as shown and accredited with their past record and the recognition of the sacrifices of the present and future numbers indicates.

October 1945 a tribute was paid to the Merchant Navy by the British Houses of Parliament which said.

Quote The British Minister Of War Transport (BMOT} has been informed by the Lord Chancellor and the Speaker of the House Of Commons of the terms of the Resolutions in identical terms passed by both Houses of Parliament without dissent on the 30^th October 1945, of which he has been requested to communicate the following portion to the Masters, Officers and Men of the Merchant Navy.

That the thanks of this House be accorded to the Officers and Men of the Merchant Navy for the steadfastness with which they maintained our stocks of food and materials; for their services in transporting men, munitions and fuel to all the battles, over all the seas; and for the gallantry with which, though a civilian service, they met and fought the constant attacks of the enemy.

“That this House doth acknowledge the Merchant Navy with humble gratitude and the sacrifice of all those who, on land or sea or in the air, have given their lives, that others today may live as free men, and its heartfelt sympathy with their relatives in Their Proud Sorrow. We shall never forget them.”

Ammunition Ships AE and Fleet Victualling Supply Issue Ships. (FVSIS) AF.
AE Ammunition Explosive Ship
AF Provision Ship FVSIS
AH Hospital Ship
AK Cargo Ship
AO Oil Tankers
AP Personnel Troop Transports

All ships designated above and engaged in conflict and supporting Allied Forces in all Campaigns wether sailing under British or Allied Flags were manned by Merchant Seamen. They were armed and the gun crews comprised many trained merchant navy personnel plus Navy D.E.M.S Sailors. AH Hospital Ships remained unarmed under the Geneva Convention.

The Second Mate was usually designated as gunnery officer after completing a course at a naval shore based establishment.

The U S Army Transportation Corps used many AK’s (Fort Worth in particular with Merchant Crews of mixed nationalities, mainly Australian)

Most time during the New Guinea campaign was spent in the several ports in New Guinea on the way to Admiralty Islands between Finchhafen, Hollandia, Biak Noemfoor, Morotai Tarakan backing up US and Australian Forces with Logistic Supplies and Provisions carried in cargo freezers from peacetime trade.

The huge loss of Merchant Navy Seamen and Naval Ratings can never be established as the ships were blown apart taking others with them some evidence can be imagined.

Some of the Statitics:
The freighter SS Fort Stikine 7130tons devastates Bombay Harbor1944.
17 ships badly damaged Port facilities destroyed 6,000 dead, 500, hospitalised.
July 1944 Ammunition ships E A Bryon and Quinault Victory Port Chicago (Mare Island California) a fire started and in 6 seconds Bryon blew apart 5’000 tons of explosives It also destroyed Quinalt Victory It is estimated 10,000 tons of ammunition went skywards on that day.

Seeadler Harbour the largest American Naval Base west of Pearl Harbour General Douglas MacArthur’s assembled fleet ready to invade the Philippines. An American Kittyhawk plane streaked down between a Victory ship and a Liberty ship a moment later there was a vertical flash and an explosion followed by a brilliant ball of fire. It was the ammunition ship USS Mount Hood blown out of the water disappearing in one huge explosion.
The explosion of Ammunition ships in port at sea or in convoy is too numerous to tabulate here. We can only say the survival rate from these ships was poor they were all manned by Allied Merchant Seamen.

Whether the results were from enemy action accidental events or otherwise we can only ponder.
A tribute to all Merchant Mariners who made the Supreme Sacrifice upon all oceans of the World.WW2.

They need no dirge, for time and tide fills all things, with tribute unto them. The warmth of a summer sun, the calm of a quiet sea, the comforting arm of night, the generous soul of nature and power of a seabird’s flight.
Blow golden trumpets blow, mournfully for all the golden youth that be and shattered dreams that lie. Where God has lain his quiet dead for all the world to see, upon some alien ocean bed. Ron (Steve) Wylie.
All Merchant Seamen were civilian volunteers. Irrespective of class, colour or creed.

Some statistics albeit approximate.

British Register. 185,000 Mariners, including 40,000 seamen of Indian, Chinese, Lascar and other British Nationals, (Some Australian)
In 1939 Britain’s Merchant Fleet was the largest in the world, under the control of British Ministry of War Transport. (BMOWT)
30,248 only, listed merchant seamen lost their lives during World War 2, a death rate that was higher proportionately than in any of the Allied armed forces.